title: ERCC1 expression does not predict survival and treatment response in advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer cases treated with platinum based chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ERCC1 is considered as a promising molecular marker that may predict platinum based chemotherapy response in non small cell lung cancer patients. We therefore investigated whether its expression is indeed associated with clinical outcomes in advanced stage NSCLC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pretreatment tumor biopsy samples of 83 stage 3B and 4 non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with platinum based chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed for immunohistochemical ERCC1 expression. None of the patients received curative surgery or radiotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By calculating H- scores regarding the extent and intensity of immunohistochemical staining of tumor biopsy samples, ERCC1 expression was found to be positive in 50 patients (60.2%). ERCC1 positive and negative groups had no statistically significant differences regarding treatment response, progression free survival and overall survival (respectively p=0.161; p=0.412; p=0.823).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study we found no association between ERCC1 expression and survival or treatment response. The study has some limitations, such as small sample size and retrospective analysis method. There is need of more knowledge for use of ERCC1 guided chemotherapy regimens in advanced stage NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey E-mail : ozer_ozdemir@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ozer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veral
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uluer
authors.forename: Mustafa Hikmet
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ozhan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005971:Glutamates; D043823:Taxoids; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D000077143:Docetaxel; D016685:Mitomycin; D006147:Guanine; D016190:Carboplatin; C071447:ERCC1 protein, human; D004720:Endonucleases; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide